Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a lever-based connection assembly for engaging resisting components. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a mate assist assembly for connecting electrical contacts contained in separate housings.
In certain applications, electronic components require the mating of several electrical contacts, such as in automotive electrical components. The electronic component includes a connector housing that holds several electrical contacts, while a mating connector housing holds an equal number of electrical contacts. One connector housing includes male electrical contacts, while the other connector housing includes female electrical contacts. As the number of electrical contacts to be mated increases, it becomes difficult to fully join the mating connector housings because of friction between the mating electrical contacts. The connector housings are formed with a mate assist assembly that includes a lever-and-gear system to pull together the connector housings in order to overcome the frictional resistance created by the mating electrical contacts.
A mate assist assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,330 issued to Gundermann that includes a lever, and first and second connector housings. Each connector housing includes electrical contacts, and the first connector housing is configured to be positioned inside the second connector housing. The lever has a handle and two arms. The arms extend from, and may be rotated alongside, end walls of the second connector housing. The arms include lever surfaces that are positioned on the end walls. The second connector housing, with the handle positioned proximate a top end, may be slid over the first connector housing to a point where the electrical contacts resist further insertion. The lever then is rotated downward along a back wall of the second connector housing which causes the lever surfaces to engage cam surfaces located on end walls of the first connector housing. As the lever surfaces engage, and are resisted by, the cam surfaces, the second connector housing is pulled further downward over the first connector housing until the electrical contacts are fully mated.
Another mate assist assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,484 issued to Post that is similar to the ""330 patent, except that the second connector housing and arms of the lever are positioned on the first connector housing. Each arm includes a pinion with gears. The first connector housing includes racks situated on the first connector housing with each rack corresponding to the gear teeth of one of the pinions. As the handle is rotated upward, the racks and pinions engage and pull the second connector housing downward into the first connector housing.
However, conventional mate assist assemblies suffer from a number of drawbacks. First, the arms of the lever extend out from the end walls of the connector housings and the handle extends across the top of the connector housings to the arms. The levers are therefore wide and bulky and may be difficult to rotate. Also, the levers interfere with electrical wire extending from the connector housings, and may prevent the mate assist assemblies from being used with certain space-confined electronic components. Secondly, the mate assist assemblies are time-consuming to assemble and install. The arms are pulled apart and slid along the end walls of the second connector housing. Then each arm is individually positioned into a retention cavity or aperture.
Thus a need remains for a mate assist assembly that overcomes the above mated problems and addresses other concerns experienced in the prior art.
Certain embodiments provide an electrical connector that includes a first housing and a second housing having rear ends configured to receive first and second sets of electrical contacts. The first and second housings also include front ends that are matable with one another to join corresponding contacts from the first and second sets of electrical contacts. The first and second housings are movable between initial and final positions, at which the first and second sets of contacts partially and fully mate, respectively. The electrical connector includes a lever member that engages the first and second housings and moves the first and second housings between the initial and final positions as the lever member is rotated through a range of motion. The lever member includes a cam arm that has a first retention element provided on at least one side of the cam arm to engage the first housing and a second retention element provided on a peripheral surface of the cam arm to engage the second housing. The electrical connector includes a lever retention block provided within an interior region of the first housing. The lever retention block has a pivot chamber that retains the first retention element while permitting rotation of the first retention element within the pivot chamber as the lever member rotates through the range of motion.